The First Lesson
Jeremiah 13:15-21
15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness,
and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while
ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make
it gross darkness.
17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places
for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with
tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.
18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit
down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown
of your glory.
19 The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open
them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall
be wholly carried away captive.
20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north:
where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
21 What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast
taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not
sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

The Second
Lesson
Mark 10:35-45
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying,
Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we
shall desire.
36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for
you?
37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on
thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye
drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with?
39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them,
Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the
baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine
to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased
with James and John.
42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know
that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise
lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon
them.
43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great
among you, shall be your minister:
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant
of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but
to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The First
Lesson
Malachi 2:1-10
1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to
give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even
send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea,
I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your
faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take
you away with it.
4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you,
that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them
to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before
my name.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found
in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn
many away from iniquity.
7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should
seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD
of hosts.
8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to
stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith
the LORD of hosts.
9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before
all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have
been partial in the law.
10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why
do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning
the covenant of our fathers?

The Second
Lesson
Luke 3:10-17
10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity
eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise
lift up herself.
12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto
her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made
straight, and glorified God.14 And
the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because
that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people,
There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore
come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth
not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from
the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom
Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this
bond on the sabbath day?
17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were
ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things
that were done by him.

First Lesson
1 Kings 12:1-11
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem
to make him king.
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was
yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence
of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation
of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou
the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which
he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come
again to me. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before
Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise
that I may answer this people?7 And
they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this
people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak
good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given
him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with
him, and which stood before him:
9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer
this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which
thy father did put upon us lighter?10 And
the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying,
Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee,
saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter
unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall
be thicker than my father's loins.
11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke,
I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips,
but I will chastise you with scorpions.

The Second
Lesson
1 Thessalonians 5:12 -2812
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among
you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.
And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort
the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever
follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all
men.16 Rejoice
evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray
God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all
the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

The First
Lesson
Job 3:1-10, 13-20
1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
2 And Job spake, and said,
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which
it was said, There is a man child conceived.
4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above,
neither let the light shine upon it.
5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud
dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be
joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number
of the months.
7 Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise
up their mourning.
9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look
for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the
day:
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor
hid sorrow from mine eyes.
13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should
have slept: then had I been at rest,
14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate
places for themselves;
15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with
silver:
16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants
which never saw light.17 There
the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice
of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from
his master.
20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life
unto the bitter in soul.

The Second
Lesson
Matthew 12:1-13
1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn;
and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears
of corn, and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold,
thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath
day.
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when
he was an hungered, and they that were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread,
which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were
with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days
the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than
the temple.7 But
if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered.
And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath
days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you,
that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath
day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?12 How
much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful
to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he
stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

The First
Lesson
1 Kings 12:12-20
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third
day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the
third day.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the
old men's counsel that they gave him;
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying,
My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke:
my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise
you with scorpions.
15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the
cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which
the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son
of Nebat.
16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them,
the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in
David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your
tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel
departed unto their tents.
17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities
of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute;
and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore
king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee
to Jerusalem.
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was
come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation,
and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed
the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

The Second
Lesson
2 Thessalonians 1
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians
in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.3 We
are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet,
because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity
of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for
your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations
that ye endure:5 Which
is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye
may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also
suffer:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation
to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be
admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among
you was believed) in that day.11 Wherefore
also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy
of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness,
and the work of faith with power:12 That
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and
ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus
Christ.

The First
Lesson
Job 4:12-21
12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received
a little thereof.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep
falleth on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones
to shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh
stood up:
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof:
an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard
a voice, saying,17 Shall
mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than
his maker?
18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he
charged with folly:
19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose
foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for
ever without any regarding it.21 Doth
not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even
without wisdom.

The Second
Lesson
Matthew 12:14-30
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him,
how they might destroy him.
15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and
great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
16 And charged them that they should not make him known:
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the
prophet, saying,
18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom
my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he
shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his
voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall
he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind,
and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb
both spake and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the
son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth
not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city
or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself;
how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children
cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom
of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil
his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will
spoil his house.30 He
that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not
with me scattereth abroad.

The First
Lesson
1 Kings 12:25-33
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein;
and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return
to the house of David:
27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD
at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again
unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall
kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold,
and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem:
behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land
of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.
30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship
before the one, even unto Dan.
31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the
lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the
fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah,
and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing
unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the
priests of the high places which he had made.
33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el
the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which
he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the
children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt
incense.

The Second
Lesson
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither
by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the
day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of
sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called
God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you
these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed
in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who
now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with
the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all
power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that
they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The First
Lesson
Job 5:8-18
8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things
without number:
10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the
fields:
11 To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn
may be exalted to safety.
12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their
hands cannot perform their enterprise.
13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel
of the froward is carried headlong.14 They
meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as
in the night.
15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and
from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.17 Behold,
happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou
the chastening of the Almighty:
18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands
make whole.

The Second
Lesson
Matthew 12:31-50
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy
shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall
be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost,
it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither
in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make
the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known
by his fruit.34 O
generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?
for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.35 A
good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth
good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth
forth evil things.36 But
I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they
shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words
thou shalt be condemned.
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered,
saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given
to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's
belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights
in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation,
and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching
of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with
this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the
uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and,
behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through
dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came
out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits
more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there:
and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even
so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and
his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren
stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my
mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and
said, Behold my mother and my brethren!50 For
whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven,
the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

The First
Lesson
1 Kings 16:29-34
29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began
Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of
Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD
above all that were before him.
31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him
to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took
to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians,
and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which
he had built in Samaria.
33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD
God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were
before him.34 In
his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation
thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof
in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD,
which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

The Second Lesson2
Thessalonians 2:13-3:5
13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief
of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of
the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.15 Therefore,
brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been
taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father,
which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation
and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and
work.1 Finally,
brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free
course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:2 And
that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for
all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep
you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both
do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into
the patient waiting for Christ.

The First
Lesson
Job 10:1-9, 12-18
1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon
myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; show me wherefore thou
contendest with me.
3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou
shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the
counsel of the wicked?
4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?
5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,
6 That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after
my sin?
7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can
deliver out of thine hand.
8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about;
yet thou dost destroy me.
9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay;
and wilt thou bring me into dust again?
12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath
preserved my spirit.
13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that
this is with thee.
14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me
from mine iniquity.15 If
I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not
lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine
affliction;
16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again
thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine
indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.
18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?
Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

The Second
Lesson
Matthew 13:1-23
1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea
side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that
he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on
the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold,
a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the
fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth:
and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of
earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they
had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked
them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some
an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou
unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it
is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have
more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing
see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing
ye shall see, and shall not perceive:15 For
this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of
hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they
should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should
understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should
heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for
they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous
men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not
seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not
heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.19 When
any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it
not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which
was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the
way side.20 But
he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that
heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for
when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word,
by and by he is offended.22 He
also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the
word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,
choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.23 But
he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth
the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and
bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The First
Lesson
1 Kings 17:1-16
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead,
said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom
I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according
to my word.
2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by
the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I
have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for
he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning,
and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up,
because there had been no rain in the land.
8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and
dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to
sustain thee.
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the
gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering
of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee,
a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said,
Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.12 And
she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but
an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse:
and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and
dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast
said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto
me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal
shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the
day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and
she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of
oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by
Elijah.

The
Second Lesson
2 Thessalonians 3:6-186
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly,
and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved
not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought
with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable
to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example
unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that
if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly,
working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus
Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that
man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all
means. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token
in every epistle: so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The First
Lesson
Job 11:7-20
7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the
Almighty unto perfection?
8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell;
what canst thou know?
9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than
the sea.
10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can
hinder him?
11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he
not then consider it?
12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild
ass's colt.
13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward
him;
14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not
wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou
shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters
that pass away:
17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt
shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou
shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid;
yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not
escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

The Second
Lesson
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom
of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his
field:25 But
while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat,
and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit,
then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him,
Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then
hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said
unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root
up also the wheat with them.30 Let
both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest
I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares,
and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into
my barn.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house:
and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the
parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed
is the Son of man;38 The
field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom;
but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the
end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire;
so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall
gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which
do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be
wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom
of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The First
Lesson
1 Kings 17:17-24
17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the
woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness
was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou
man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance,
and to slay my son?
19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out
of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode,
and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast
thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by
slaying her son?
21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried
unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this
child's soul come into him again.
22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the
child came into him again, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the
chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and
Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou
art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth
is truth.

The Second
Lesson
James 1:1-11
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the
twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;3 Knowing
this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect
and entire, wanting nothing.5 If
any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all
men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing
of the Lord.8 A
double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower
of the grass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it
withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the
grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich
man fade away in his ways.

The First
Lesson
Job 12:1-10
1 And Job answered and said,
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior
to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God,
and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised
in the thought of him that is at ease.6 The
tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are
secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the
fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes
of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath
wrought this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath
of all mankind.

The Second
Lesson
Matthew 13:31-35, 44-52
31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom
of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took,
and sowed in his field:
32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown,
it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that
the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.33 Another
parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto
leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal,
till the whole was leavened.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables;
and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things
which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in
a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for
joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that
field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man,
seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all that he had, and bought it.
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was
cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down,
and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come
forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall
be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things?
They say unto him, Yea, Lord.52 Then
said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed
unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder,
which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.